A Wish Upon A Shooting Star
by lexilovesCarlisle
Summary: Anne Dawson the childhood best friend of James Gatz, who she was in love with. Her family moves, & she meets Nick Carraway, who she grows to love as a brother & they attend Yale together. After coming home from the war, she moves in with Nick a few years after. What happens when she meets Nicks Neighbor, & the reason behind his extravagant parties? Gatsbyxoc M for language & sex
1. The Wish

**An: If you recognize it, It's not mine. Fitzgerald owns all things Gatsby.**

 _North Dakota, 1907_

"Jay-Jay! Come quickly! Come on, now!" I hurried as we climbed a tree in the forest behind his farm.

"I'm coming! Anna, flower, wait up!" He said as he got the right footing, Pulling himself to a higher branch.

This was how it always was. Every night in the summer in our childhood, we would run and frolic through the forests. Well, _I-_ would frolic, James was more elegant. Even though he was a farm boy, he tended to have the mannerisms of a prince. Yet, every now in then, he would join me in a bit of uncanny foolishness and humored me by climbing trees. But, this was the last time we would be together for a long time. My father, Timothy Dawson inherited some land from a cousin of ours in Minnesota. I hear that it was a larger estate, nothing like the small cottage we had here. Though the new property wasn't all that grand, it was more than what we had. My father was a Journalist but would like to resume his job in Minnesota, writing for a small newspaper company that paid better than what he was currently making. My mother, Maryanne was a part-time maid. I was being schooled with James, my closest friend, and I would miss him very, very dearly.

James is the only boy I have ever fallen in love with, but he did not know it. I was too afraid that our friendship would be ruined because of it. I can't lose my only friend. The way he called me 'flower' in fondness of my love for them, made other girls in our class swoon, but he never acknowledged them. I don't know why, and I would never have the nerve to ask.

His beautiful golden locks shined even more so as the sun started to slowly set over the greenery of North Dakota. I sat on the branch and stared at the vast beauty of the forest I would miss oh-so-much. I pulled out my flower embroidered bandana and retied it on my head to keep my unruly, brunette locks tamed. As I finished tying it, I felt the branch dip a bit as Jay sat beside me.

"I'm going to miss this," I whispered as a flock of deer scurried past a few trees.

"So am I," James said back, his eyes still trained on the sunset. "I don't want you to leave."

"I don't wish to leave. You are my only friend, James. Who am I supposed to talk to when I need a listening ear, or who am I supposed to go to when I need a helping hand?" I felt the tears stinging in my eyes, but I willed them away.

"We'll see each other again someday, I'm sure of it! And when I do, I'll have the world in the palm of my hand, and I will give it all to you, flower." He said with a strong face of determination and hope. The hope James has always had was a strong, dominant part of his personality. We talked about leaving this place when we are older, making money and living a life of wealth and happiness that we read about in books and dreamed about when we went to sleep at night. We were both prepared to work hard for it, but I've always had doubts. I always have a backup plan. James had only one plan and intended to follow it. Once he creates a goal in his mind, he will spend the rest of his life trying to achieve it, unless something grander comes along, and he'll change the goal, or abandon it altogether.

"How can you be so sure, Jay?" I asked as I turned my attention fully to him. The stars started to come out of the twilight, twinkling in its wake, making Jame's eyes shine like blue diamonds in the moonlight.

"I know we are only thirteen years old, but I can see that our lives have to go like this,"

He used his finger and motioned to the stars above.

" we will keep moving up."

And a shooting star passed across the moonlit sky.

"A shooting star! Quick, make a wish, flower!" He smiled widely, the excitement in his eyes showing. It must be contagious because I eagerly closed my eyes.

I made my wish, and opened my eyes and looked over at Jay. His eyes were still closed, in serene concentration. He sighed as they opened and looked over at me.

"So, what did you wish for?"

I blushed as shook my head. "What did _you_ wish for?"

He blushed and stuttered, "I-I-I-I…..I asked you first."

"And I asked you second. It shouldn't matter the order in which we ask things. The question has been asked, and so, it should get an answer-"

And suddenly I lost my balance.

I started to fall back, reaching for anything I could. I closed my eyes, waiting for the impact of the other branches,

but they never came.

I opened my eyes to see Jay's strong arms around me, steadying me. His face was inches from mine and our noses were almost touching. We were breathing hard and one of his hands came and cupped my cheek. He leaned in slowly, as did I. My eyes fluttered closed as his lips made contact with mine. It was a sweet, innocent kiss. My first kiss! And Jay KISSED ME!

When we pulled apart, he was blushing just as hard as I was. He grabbed my head and hugged it to his chest as I hugged him as tight as I could.

"Now I _really_ don't want you to leave." He said and laughed a little. I giggled softly.

"Let get down before one of us almost falls- again."

We climbed down out of the tree and started walking back to my house, hand in hand. With every step, I felt a little bit of me dying inside and the doubt started to rear its ugly head. Doubt is like cancer, It spreads. First It consumes your sub-conscience, then it affects your thoughts. Next, it screws with your emotions, and then It causes you to behave irrationally. Its all like a cycle. Nothing is wrong with a little bit of doubt, but when you let it consume you, It makes you retreat into yourself. When you have doubt, It is hard to trust.

By the time we were on my front porch, I had tears falling down my face. Jay and I stared at the door and I broke down in sobs. Jay held me to his chest and sobbed as well.

" Please, don't forget about me-"

"-I swear I won't-"

"-I'll write to you often-"

"-I'll write you every single week-"

"- _Jay, I love you_ "

"..."

I pulled back from our tight embrace and his face was drenched with his own tears.

"I l-l-love you too, but this is making goodbye more _difficu-"_ His voice cracked and he started sobbing into my neck, and I ran my hands through his hair on the back of his head.

I breathed in his scent on last time. And once we calmed down, he let go. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a letter.

"Don't open this until you turn 18. I know that time is so far away, but I want you to have a bit of something to remember me by." He said as he extended his hand and I gratefully took the letter.

I look off my hair bandana, and slipped it into his breast pocket in his jacket, and put my hands over his hammering heart. He smiled softly and covered my hands with his.

"Take care of yourself, James Gatz," I said with a soft smile.

He took one hand and put his time and index finger under my chin, compelling me to look into his eyes.

"Don't stop blossoming, my dear flower, Anne Dawson." He gently kissed my forehead, then my nose and planted a soft kiss on my lips.

" _Au revoir,_ " he whispered.

" _Until we meet again_ ," I whispered back.

Our hands slowly slid to our sides and he smiled a little and began to step off the porch.

"Wait!" I said and grabbed his arm.

I kissed his cheek, feeling the touch of his skin on my lips for the last time.

" _Keep moving up no matter what, Jay-Jay_."

With that, I let him go and into the house. I shut the door and ran up to my now empty room. And watched out of my window as James Gatz walked down the road, walking up the gigantic hill to his farm, staring at his retreating form. As he disappeared behind the hill, that cancerous doubt, for the first time, truly consumed me. I was so certain that I would never see James Gatz again. I jumped onto my bed and clutched his note tightly to my chest. I cried and cried and cried. Even if we did meet again, things would never be the same. No matter how hard you try, you can never truly, or perfectly repeat the past. With time comes change, and no one can stop time, so change is inevitable.


	2. Photos and Flower Crowns

**An: Hey! Looking for a beta! If you're interested, hit me up! Please, because if it wasn't for auto correct and Grammarly, I'd be screwed!**

 **If you recognize it, It's not mine. Fitzgerald owns all things Gatsby.**

"Make new friends, but keep the old;

Those Are sliver, these are gold."

~Josph Parry

Montana, 1907, One week later.

"Oh my God," I muttered as I looked at the school in front of me. It was a lot nicer than the school back in North Dakota. My hands shook as I walked into the building. High school. Very few girls make it to high school. Most of them get basic education and become housewives or maids or cooks and go to finishing school. Not Me. I've decided that want to go into the medical field. I am more than prepared. I am eager and ready to keep moving up towards my goals, and achieving them. The hallways were busy with students preparing to get ready for the day. I ran my hands through my hair nervously as I stopped at the receptionist's desk. She was an older woman who had her hair in a ponytail and glasses that rested on the bridge of her nose. She looked to be in her Mid-'60s and mild wrinkles scattered across her face.

"Hello," I said as I walked up to her.

"Hi," She said bitterly. It caught me off guard that she was so rude, how dare she! Quelling the anger that rose inside of me, I smiled and shook it off, like the well educated, young lady I am.

"I'm Anne Dawson, I am new and need my schedule," I stated. She passes me a paper. It had my classes, locker number, and it's combination. I nodded in thanks and turned around, knocking into someone in the process.

"Oof!" I exclaimed as I felt the collision. I steadied myself and looked up at the person I bumped into.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry about that!" The person said.

He had fair skin and was slightly taller than I. His brunette hair combed back professionally, notebook in his hand and a bag around his shoulder.

"Oh, It not a problem! Not at all!" I said with a small smile. He had some kind, expressive eyes; kinda like James. But his were green.

"Do you need any help with anything?" He asked.

"Erm, yes actually. Can you help me look for my locker?"

"Absolutely."

"So, what is your name?"

"Anne Dawson, and You?"

"Nicolas Carraway."

We found my locker and I opened it. I put my coat and bag inside of it. I pulled out a photo of me and James. It was taken sometime last year. I taped it onto the inside of my locker. It was a photo of me and James before the school spring formal. James was making A crazy face, and I was laughing.

"May I ask the story behind this picture?" Nick inquired.

I smiled and looked at the picture.

 _North Dakota, 1906_

 _I sat in my vanity as my mother brushed my hair, pinning up my hair, and putting me in a pretty, floral print dress. She gave me her earrings and a nice necklace. There was a knock on the door from downstairs, I heard my father and James laughing as I came down the steps. I walked into the living room, and James stood there in shock. His hair pulled back and In the nicest suite, I have ever seen him wear. He smiled and so did I, and both of our cheeks colored a bright red. He held up, what I thought was a bouquet of flowers, but he walked up to me and places it on my head._

" _Here you go, flower."_

 _I looked down at his other hand that rose to his head. He made an identical one and put it on his head. I laughed,_ _**hard.**_

" _You look Ridiculous!" I said falling apart. To humor me, he made funny faces, which made me almost start crying from laughing too hard._

" _Hey, you two get outside so we can get a photograph of you!" Mother yells. We went outside sand stood were the camera was and smiled, and James tried not to laugh._

 _Snap!_

" _That one's a keeper!" my father exclaimed._

"Then, my mother asked if he was talking about the **picture** or about **James**!" I said while Nick was bubbling with laughter.

"He seems like a great friend."

"He is," I whispered as I stared at the picture fondly.

The bell rang and Nick escorted me to my first class of the day.

Later that night, I decided I'd write a letter to James about my first day of school. I sat at my desk and pulled out a sheet of paper, and started writing.

 _My Dearest James,_

 _Today was my first day of school! At first, I was nervous, and the receptionist was so rude! But walking in the hallway, I bumped into a fellow student named Nicolas. He was nice enough to show me around, and escort me to my classes! We get along swimmingly! You would love him, Jay! He is so kind and reminded me of you a little, but he is far less optimistic. My classes were fine, but I missed you. I looked to my right when I wanted to make a funny comment, only to realize you weren't there. I miss you so much that sometimes I turn to talk to you your not here, but its getting better. At least we can still write to each other. So, how is School? Is Mrs. Walker still giving those awful homework assignments? Tell me all about it!_

 _Your Love,_

 _Anne_

I saw the sun setting out of the window as my mother called me down for supper. I looked at the letter, knowing that one day, He wouldn't write back. We move on and grow up. Knowing Gatz, he probably has already planned his great escape out of North Dakota, and to a life of riches and wealth.

 **An: I would love some reviews from my lovely readers. Constructive criticism would be nice, just don't go too hard on me! I try my best, and the only way I can get better is to learn from my audience! Love you all!**

 **~Lexi**


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